Mei steps off the plane and inhales the cool Seoul air. The city lights stretch endlessly before her gold, silver, and neon blending into a dazzling nightscape. In the distance, the V-shaped silhouette of the mountains glows faintly beneath the mist. For a moment, she forgets everything, her pain, her past, her father, and just breathes.
She pulls out her phone and dials.
"Hi Ji-hyun, I've arrived. You might not recognize me. I'm wearing a mask, black hoodie, and jeans."
Ji-hyun's cheerful voice rings through the receiver.
"Yeah, I think I see you. I'm coming your way!"
Mei smiles.
"Okay, I'll hang up now."
Just as she pockets her phone, someone brushes past her, light as air, and slips a folded paper into her hand. Her breath catches. That touch... it feels familiar. The same warmth. The same silence. She turns sharply but no one's there.
Before she can think further, a gentle tap lands on her shoulder. She spins around to see Ji-hyun, her bright grin breaking through the night like sunshine.
"OMG, you're actually here, Mei! You look so different, so hot! Neowa reul boneun geo eoseo joheunhamnida!"
Mei blinks, startled.
"Excuse me, what?"
Ji-hyun bursts into laughter.
"Sorry, I forgot you don't understand Korean fully. I meant you look so pretty!"
Then, dramatically, Ji-hyun drops to one
knee.
"Mei Hirai, will you marry me?"
Mei laughs so hard she almost tears up.
"Get up, stop being so dramatic!"
As she tries to compose herself, her gaze shifts to the girl beside Ji-hyun.
"Uh… and who might this be?"
Ji-hyun stands and gestures proudly.
"This is Cynthia. My bestie and housemate."
Mei smiles politely.
"Hi, I'm Mei Hirai."
Cynthia chuckles.
"No need for introductions. I already know you. It's nice to finally meet you, Mei."
Ji-hyun looks around nervously.
"We should get going. There's a bit of chaos outside."
Mei tilts her head.
"Yeah, I saw people rushing. What happened?"
Cynthia smirks.
"What do you expect? A celebrity's here apart from you, of course."
Mei rolls her eyes.
"That's exactly why I wore a mask."
Ji-hyun nods quickly.
"The airport security's losing control. If people notice you, we'll never make it home."
Cynthia grabs Mei's luggage.
"Then let's move before it gets worse."
Mei takes one last glance at the glowing city beyond the glass walls.
"Seoul… it's so beautiful."
Cynthia grins.
"You've only seen a glimpse. There's more waiting for you."
Mei's eyes soften with wonder.
"Then I can't wait to see it all."
Together, they step out into Seoul night. A city of lights, secrets, and beginnings.
As they step into the car, the quiet hum of the city fades behind them.
The night air carries a faint chill, yet Mei feels warmth pressing gently against her palm. The folded paper slipped into her hand moments ago.
She glances at Ji-hyun and Cynthia, both talking animatedly in the front seat. With careful fingers, she opens the note under the dim light spilling through the window.
The handwriting is neat, familiar, and elegant in a way that makes her chest tighten.
"Mei, even if the world separates us again, I'll still find my way back to you.
Not to protect you this time, but to keep my promise.
Don't forget… Some goodbyes are only pauses, not endings."
Her breath hitches. The air feels heavier.
For a moment, Seoul's dazzling lights blur beyond the window, replaced by fragments of memory. Eunseok's quiet smile, the way he used to stand in the rain waiting for her, the way he never said goodbye properly.
Ji-hyun's voice breaks the silence.
"Mei, are you alright? You look pale."
Mei folds the note quickly, forcing a small smile.
"I'm fine. Just thinking about… home."
Cynthia teases lightly,
"You sure it's not about someone from home?"
Mei laughs faintly, her voice trembling just a little.
"Maybe both."
She leans her head against the glass, her reflection meeting her eyes. The lights of Seoul dance across her face half hidden, half glowing.
Deep inside, she whispers his name, almost afraid to breathe it.
"Eunseok…"
And though miles now lie between them, her heart knows this isn't the end of their story.